Court hearing - Prison sentence demanded after refugee home fire
After a circumstantial trial lasting almost seven months, the public prosecutor's office believes that a firefighter is guilty of the fire at the refugee home in Groß Strömkendorf near Wismar. In his four-hour plea, the representative of the prosecution demanded a prison sentence of seven years and six months for the man for multiple arson and aggravated arson in two cases at the district court in Schwerin on Thursday.
The 33-year-old had remained silent throughout the trial about the accusation that he was responsible for a series of fires that culminated in the fire in Groß Strömkendorf. Even in his last words, he did not mention the fires. He just wanted "this to finally be over", he said.
The public prosecutor's office holds the accused responsible for at least seven of 18 fires in the region between April and October 2022. According to their conviction, it is clear from the analysis of cell phone data that the accused was in the vicinity of the scene of the fires shortly before they became known. Among other things, smaller pieces of woodland, a carport, a straw barn and a temporarily occupied house had also burned.
In his plea, the defense lawyer referred to the lack of evidence for his client's perpetration. The chain of circumstantial evidence was not sufficient and there was no conclusive motive, the lawyer argued. He demanded acquittal for the man, who was employed as a fireman at the shipyard in Wismar and was a member of two volunteer fire departments. The defense lawyer complained of "sloppy police work" in some cases and also questioned expert reports on the time of the fire in Groß Strömkendorf.
In the fire on October 19, 2022, the former "Schäfereck" hotel, in which 14 war refugees from Ukraine were housed at the time of the crime, was largely destroyed. The residents were able to leave the building in time. No one was injured. The property damage was estimated at around 7.5 million euros. The building was completely demolished.
The case had caused a nationwide stir as Nazi symbols had appeared at the scene of the fire immediately before the crime. However, the suspicion that the arson could have been motivated by right-wing extremism was not confirmed in the course of the investigation.
The accused was arrested shortly after the fire. The trial against him began on 10 May 2023, but the court released him again in July during the course of the trial because it no longer saw any urgent suspicion of the crime. The verdict is due to be announced on December 8.
In his plea, the prosecutor cited the 33-year-old's desire for recognition as the motive for the arsons. The man had wanted to recommend himself as the new fire chief in his home town with particularly motivated actions. As the only member of the fire brigade, he had been involved in fighting all 18 fires in question. The series of fires had not continued after the defendant's imprisonment, the public prosecutor continued.
In his opinion, a chat with his fiancée also indicated that the man was responsible for the fire in Groß Strömkendorf. In addition, shortly after the fire, he had researched on the Internet how cell phones are located in radio cells and what you can do if you are under police investigation. "You can only conclude that he set the fires. There is no reasonable doubt," said the public prosecutor.
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Source: www.stern.de
